The Princess and the Dragon
by ce'bronne
Summary: Fairytale with a Sherlockian twist AU


**A/N: Many, many thanks to my fantasmariffic Beta: thischarmingpsycopath. You my friend are beyond awesome! If you haven't checked out her work yet, you definitely should. I would like to state I do not own Sherlock or it's characters. All stories are Anansi's and you will not convince me otherwise. =] Let me know what you think and without further ado:**

_Once upon a time_ there was a kingdom where dragons were real, and trees came alive. A land where magic could be found anywhere and everywhere. Where good and brave knights saved the day. A place where true love overcame all obstacles. And this kingdom was ruled over by the stern but fair King Lestrade.

A just and fair ruler, the King did all he could to make sure his land prospered and the people were kept safe and happy. Unfortunately not all was well in this idyllic world. The king's beautiful daughter, the Princess Molly was unhappy.

The king had tried all he could from great and lavish feasts, to challenging tourneys and bright festivals. Nothing seemed to break through the grey cloud surrounding her. Finally one day he asked his most trusted advisor the Lord Mycroft for a possible solution.

"Well your majesty. It seems to me the princess is lonely." His advisor answered after some consideration. "Perhaps the wisest course of action would be to find her highness suitable companions." And so the king set out to find his daughter the perfect companions.

First were two new ladies in waiting the Lady Irene and the Lady Mary. Both enjoyed the princess's company very much, and did all they could to cheer her up but their efforts were in vain. All the talk of gowns and gossip did nothing to dispel the gloom that surrounded Princess Molly.

Now, the princess herself, knew the lengths her father and new friends were taking to ensure her happiness. However she didn't know why she felt the way she did. She only knew that it felt like a piece of her was missing. But how could she explain to her loved ones when she didn't know what that missing something was?

One day the princess decided that even if she didn't know what was missing, she would still go looking for it. Going to her father, she asked to be allowed to leave the castle. "I want to see if I can find my happiness." she explained.

The king reluctantly gave her permission, but only if she took with her the bravest knight of the realm, Sir John, and the most powerful sorcerer Sir Sherlock. Agreeing to her father's terms, preparations were soon made and the trio set out to find the princess's happiness.

Now Princess Molly's two stalwart companions had long been in the service of their king, ridding the land of evil, and doing all around heroic deeds. However, the sorcerer Sherlock felt it wasn't right for the princess to be out on an Adventure. It just wasn't safe for her. And the knight Sir John agreed. But being the loyal and brave servants of the king, they did as asked of them and protected the princess from all and sundry.

During their travels they met many strange and fantastic creatures. Dryads dancing beneath a full moon in a meadow near their groves. Neriads splashing in forest streams with playful otters. Satyrs playing their pipes for all who cared to listen. Not all that they met were of the light however. Some were of the dark, like fearsome trolls plotting under bridges. Dreaded sphinx who guarded the well trod paths. And even though their journey was sometime fraught with peril, the trio always managed to escape unscathed.

Until one day when an awful fire-breathing dragon, his hide the dark of a moonless night, came and caught the fair princess up in his massive claws. The sorcerer and the knight fought bravely with steel and magic. But it was all for naught. Blade was blunted by midnight scales, and spell carried no effect.

And so the great beast stole away the princess to his lair. On massive wings he carried the vainly struggling princess across the kingdom and away from her protectors.

Setting the princess down in the courtyard of the castle he had made his home, the dragon's form shimmered as he seemingly collapsed into himself. Now standing before her stood a man, his hair matching the darkness of the dragon scales. Dressed in a curious combination of princely garb and sorcerer's robes, he was by far the most handsome man the Princess had ever met.

Bravely the princess demanded to know her captor's name. "Who are you? What do you want with me?" she asked. Remaining silent her captor stepped towards her. Suddenly fearful the princess backed away until her back met the courtyard wall and she could move no further. "My name is Jim" he told her, tucking a strand of hair behind the princess's ear.

Taking her hand, the dragon now turned man, pulled her across the castle's courtyard and into the keep. Through twisted corridors he led her before finally stopping in front of a door. "These will be your chambers." the dragon told her before turning around and walking away.

Entering the room, the princess looked around her. Expecting little more than a prisoner's cell, she was surprised at the opulence that awaited her. The princess was not taken in by what she assumed was the dragon's cunning. She wouldn't allow him to lure her into a false sense of security before he ate her. After all isn't that what dragons do?

And so she set out to escape. That night under cover of darkness she crept out of her chambers and through the winding corridors of the castle. Surprisingly she met no resistance. Not guards, not enchantments, nothing was left to bar her way. This startled the princess greatly. In all the tales dragons did not let their captive princesses escape easily, if at all. Coming to this realization, her steps across the moonlit courtyard slowed greatly. Why kidnap her just to let her escape? Something else was going on here.

Turning on her heel, the princess decided to stay. Maybe she could solve this mystery, after all her happiness could wait. Heading back to her appointed chambers, the princess pondered over this unsettling new development in her quest.

So lost in thought was the princess that she didn't see the dragon standing silently in the shadows watching her. Nor did she hear the quiet sigh of relief when she turned and made her way back to the castle.

The next few weeks, passed by slowly as the princess got to know the dragon in her new quest of understanding the his motives. Bit by bit they each grew to know the other. The princess learned of the dragon's moodiness. Of his beast. She also learned of his kindness, evident in the little ways he tried to make her stay more comfortable. The dragon learned as well. He grew to know of her love for her kingdom and her people. Of her desire to finish her quest. Of her gentleness when dealing with the beast he sometimes became.

But there were things that went unknown. The dragon did not know why the princess stayed. Neither did the princess know why the dragon had brought her to his castle. Finally one day, the princess decided to just ask the dragon.

"Why did you bring me here, if you aren't going to eat me?" she asked.

"Would you rather I did?" he growled at her.

"Of course not, I just don't understand. Please? Tell me?"

And so the dragon explained.

He was lonely. As the princess took in these words, there was a great clamor in the courtyard. Confused, both the dragon and the princess rushed to the courtyard. No-one had disturbed the peace in this castle but for the two of them.

Waiting there for them stood Princess Molly's companions, Sir John and Sir Sherlock, ready to battle and save their princess. The pair of rescuers demanded that Jim the Dragon release the princess.

Looking at her friends the princess realized that she had no desire to continue her quest, she wished to remain with her dragon. She had found over the time spent with the dragon, that she no longer felt like a piece of her was missing. The princess had found her happiness in the dragon.

She tried to convince the knight and the sorcerer to leave. But they thought her under the influence of an evil spell. And so they rushed to attack the dragon. Switching into his beast form, the dragon protected himself.

However the sorcerer was prepared this time. He cast an enchantment on the dragon. One which caused him to transform back into the shape of a man and which caused him to collapse into a deep sleep.

Seeing this the princess broke into sobs and rushed over to her dragon. Finally she had realized that she loved him, only for to him be taken from her. Collapsing onto the ground next to the dragon the princess leaned in to give him a kiss.

As her lips touched his, the enchantment broke and the dragon was kissing her back. At this the sorcerer and the knight saw that the princess and the dragon were truly in love and made no further attempts to keep the two apart.

"With the quest to find her happiness completed; the princess, her dragon, the knight, and the sorcerer returned to King Lestrade with the joyous news. The princess and the dragon were married and they all lived happily ever after."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o

"The end." James finished. "Now, why don't you try to get some sleep Mollykins?" He asked as he placed a kiss to her forehead.

Drawing their blankets up to her neck Molly sleepily replied "Thank you, love. You always tell the best stories when I can't sleep."


End file.
